Walt Disney World is one of the safest places to stay when a hurricane hits Central Florida. Many locals leave home and relocate at resorts to ride out storms because on-site buildings are built well above code, and engineered to withstand the worst winds & weather. This covers the best hotels at WDW for hurricane season for those who want to plan ahead and hedge their bets during the highest risk months.
From the start, we want to emphasize that this is a planning resource and not tailored towards any specific storm or circumstance. If there’s a hurricane approaching Orlando whenever you’re reading this and are wondering whether you should cancel your trip, leave early, etc., this does not answer that. Rather, it’s aimed at providing a rundown of booking criteria and best options if you’re visiting during storm season, are worried about hurricanes, and want extra peace of mind.
I wouldn’t say we’re overly concerned about hurricanes hitting Walt Disney World, but we’re definitely a bit preoccupied with them. Nearly a decade ago, we ended up stuck at Walt Disney World during Hurricane Irma at a time when we were out of state tourists. Instead of going home, on a cruise, or to the parks, we spent a few nights “getting to know” the rooms at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. Suffice to say, it was not fun and we both wished we would have made the call earlier to cut short our trip and head home.
Fast-forward a few years, and the circumstances were similar with Hurricane Dorian while we lived in Florida. That storm reached Category 5 status, and was the strongest hurricane in modern record to make landfall in the Bahamas. While portions of Central Florida were in the cone of uncertainty, models did not call for it to make landfall in Florida–and it didn’t.
We were in Florida for several other tropical storms and potential hurricanes over the course of the ~5 years we lived in the state. Dorian was forecast to be the worst of these–even though it turned out to mostly miss us–but none of them were smooth sailing. The unpredictability and fear of the unknown was always there, and had us worried. Perhaps it would’ve changed eventually, but we never got “used” to hurricanes.
We never booked rooms at Walt Disney World resorts as locals, but we always debated it. Homes in Florida are built for hurricanes and most storms weaken by making it to Orlando, but I’d still take construction standards of Walt Disney World resorts over single-family homes quickly constructed in subdivisions. Part of the calculus was not wanting to “take” the spot from someone trying to evacuate from the coast who needed it even more. There were other considerations, but the main point was that it was always on the table for us, even as locals, and something we thought about a lot.
That was when it was just the two of us. If we still lived in Florida last year for Hurricane Milton now that we have a daughter, we would’ve absolutely booked a room at a Walt Disney World resort. No doubt about it. As out of state tourists, we still game out our contingency plan for Walt Disney World in the fall, from when to pull the plug to considerations about where to stay. (Learn from our mistake: just because you want to cut short a trip doesn’t mean you can!)
That’s basically what this post is–our personal thoughts and conversations we’ve had about storm season stays at Walt Disney World, cleaned up and put to (virtual) paper.
Advantages of Staying On-Site During Storms
In all likelihood, Walt Disney World’s resort hotels will have electricity, running water, and food throughout the storm. This is probably the biggest reason why some locals opt to stay on-site during hurricanes. There’s a strong probability that a residential home will lose power (ours did, more than once), whereas I’ve never heard of that happening at Walt Disney World.
The other big upside is that Cast Members will continue to staff the Walt Disney World resort hotels. Now, before you pass judgment, thinking that it’s “cruel” of Disney to make Cast Members work during hurricanes instead of being at home, keep in mind the above sentiment from the locals’ perspective about preferring to stay on-site.
We’ve known several Cast Members who proactively volunteered to be on the storm “ride out” teams for precisely that reason. Many lived alone in apartments and didn’t want to be isolated during a hurricane, felt safer in a resort, etc. Being on the “ride out” crew seems pretty popular, and I’d hazard a guess that even more Cast Members would volunteer for these roles if eligible.
Thanks to the ride out team of Cast Members, most indoor facilities at certain resorts are operational during hurricanes. On top of that, Walt Disney World typically goes above and beyond with entertainment and recreation, including character appearances and more at select resorts.
Staying on-site is a great way to stay safe and comfortable during the storm. It’s also a great option for having fun, taking your mind off the hurricane, and making human connections that are positive and uplifting.
Cheesy as it might sound, this is a huge advantage of being on-site. You don’t feel alone or fixated on up-to-the-minute weather updates when you’re surrounded by hundreds of other guests, making lemonade out of lemons.
Criteria for WDW Resort Storm Selections
You’ll note the above asterisks about “most indoor facilities at certain resorts” being operational and “select resorts” having added programming. These aren’t just filler words–this is crucial.
The primary criteria is enclosed, indoor walkways between guest rooms and the hotel lobby, restaurants, and retail. If a resort lacks this, it’s off the table for offering the above.
This rules out most of Walt Disney World’s Value and Moderate resorts. The vast majority of those have clusters of outlying buildings that require a walk from guest rooms to the lobby. So everything closes down during a hurricane and guests shelter in place only in their rooms.
It’s not just Value and Moderates, though. Two of the most expensive hotels at Walt Disney World, the Polynesian and Grand Floridian, both have outlying buildings. While the Grand Floridian has some main building rooms (resulting in select amenities staying open), the Polynesian does not.
Meaning the only way you have access to anything is if you’re staying Club Level. Speaking of which, Club Level lounges almost always stay open during hurricanes. For that reason, these are the top pick for those willing to splurge no matter where you’re staying (even the Poly!).
It’s also important to be mindful of which otherwise-indoor resorts actually have outdoor access to dining. Despite all being under the same roof, the bulk of BoardWalk Inn’s restaurants close during a hurricane since they require walking outside to access. Back when we rode out Irma at BoardWalk, this was a definite downside.
On the other hand, resorts with convention centers have a great advantage in being able to scale up their dining demand and serving guests via makeshift catered buffets. So that was a definite win for BoardWalk, and almost enough for it to make this list.
Another selling point is resorts with a kitchenette or full kitchen in the room. You’ll have advance notice of the hurricane, allowing ample time to go get or have groceries delivered. This was another upside of our studio at BoardWalk, and would’ve been an even bigger advantage had we booked a larger villa. (For this reason, the Art of Animation Family Suites are the one Value Resort that almost makes this list. They’re still lacking in other regards, but if you largely want to ride out the storm in your room, they’re a good pick.)
When it comes to Disney Vacation Club or Deluxe Villa Resorts, if you stay in a one-bedroom or above, you’ll also have in-room laundry. Meaning you can have some fun doing laundry to pass the time while riding out the storm, or perhaps more importantly, have clean clothes in the event your trip gets unexpectedly extended.
With all of that in mind, here’s a rundown of our favorite hurricane-ready resorts at Walt Disney World…
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Whenever we game out storm season stays, we always end up at the Contemporary. On the one hand, this building has floor to ceiling windows and is over 50 years old. It may not seem like a prime candidate on that basis.
On the other hand, it’s over 50 years old and is still going strong! This puppy was built to last, and probably has enough steel and concrete that it’ll be the one structure at Walt Disney World still around 371 years from now during the zombie apocalypse. (Side note: it’s also where I’d stay at Walt Disney World during a zombie apocalypse.)
Joking aside, the big advantages offered by the Contemporary are multiple restaurants all under one roof and a wide variety of them. Not only that, but the resort also has a convention center accessible from the main lobby and plenty of space for walking, common areas, etc., if you get restless. Rooms are more spacious, too. And to each their own on this one, but I actually view those floor to ceiling windows as an asset. They make it easy to see what’s going on outside, and they’re still there 50+ years later.
Just don’t book the Garden Wing rooms or Bay Lake Tower. Those are normally our favorites for being cheaper (via dollars or DVC points) and offering most of the same upsides as the main tower at the Contemporary, but none of that holds true when it comes to a hurricane.
Gran Destino Tower
Very similar story here as with the Contemporary Resort, but for those who want new builds as opposed to older ones. Like the main A-frame at the Contemporary, this is a tower (it’s right there in the name). That might make some people uncomfortable, but the major upside is that building standards are more stringent for taller structures.
Otherwise, the advantages of Gran Destino Tower are almost identical to the Contemporary. It has even more dining options, both in the tower itself and over at El Centro and the convention center, all of which is (critically) connected to Gran Destino via indoor walkways. This would be my pick if money were an issue.
Again, just don’t totally ‘cheap out’ and book the outlying buildings at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. Those offer no advantages over any other Value or Moderate Resort since they require an outdoor walk to Gran Destino.
Disney’s Riviera Resort
A lot of commonalities between Gran Destino Tower and Disney’s Riviera Resort, both of which opened within the last decade. Riviera has fewer floors, if that matters to you for whatever reason. It also lacks a convention center, and has far fewer totally indoor dining options.
This is one thing WDW diehards need to be careful about when choosing where to stay to ride out a hurricane. If it requires any outdoor walk at all, it’s off the table. Meaning that Bar Riva, which is a stone’s throw from Primo Piatto, is off the table. Between the counter service Primo Piatto and table service Topolino’s Terrace, we still view Disney’s Riviera Resort as ‘sufficient’ when it comes to dining.
The big tradeoff here is that Riviera is a Disney Vacation Club resort, which means all of the rooms have at least kitchenettes, while the larger units have full kitchens. This makes it a strong option for hunkering down in your room and preparing your own meals. The downsides are a small lobby and no convention center, but the resort has plenty of long hallways for walking.
Yacht Club
This checks a lot the same boxes as the above entries. Yacht Club has an attached convention center, a decent variety of indoor dining options, and plenty of indoor spaces for roaming.
Again, the big thing to keep in mind with Yacht Club is the outdoor walkways around Stormalong Bay. It may seem like all of that is indoors, but it’s not when it comes to hurricane safety. This is also why only Yacht Club, and not Beach Club, makes this list.
We also like the idea of staying at Crescent Lake for once the storm passes, but we wouldn’t want to do BoardWalk again due to almost all dining being outdoors. That makes Yacht Club our top pick.
Wilderness Lodge
This would be our top choice after Contemporary Resort and, quite honestly, if I somehow got stuck at Walt Disney World by myself during a solo trip, I’d probably want to be at Wilderness Lodge. (I wouldn’t let that happen, Sarah, so don’t worry!)
Upsides of Wilderness Lodge are multiple indoor restaurants offering a wide variety of options, as well as a large lobby with plenty of space to move around. Another advantage is the Copper Creek Villas, which are inside the main building but offer DVC-style accommodations.
The wildcard for me offered by Wilderness Lodge is its calming quality. The design, background music, quiet corners to decompress–the whole vibe is conducive to calm and comfort during a high stress situation. On balance, that subjective or emotional element outweighs the objective advantages of the Contemporary, at least for me.
Animal Kingdom Lodge
This is basically an identical entry to Wilderness Lodge, which should be unsurprising since the resorts are so similar.
One thing worth emphasizing here, as it may matter to some planners, is that Kidani Village has covered parking. If you’re driving and want to ensure your car is more likely to be safe, that makes it a smart pick. Otherwise, I’d probably choose Jambo House.
Swan & Dolphin
Lots of places to eat, all under one roof. Well technically, there are three separate resorts here–but each one of them has dining under its own roof. Beyond that, I’m somewhat reluctant to enthusiastically endorse the Swolphin because I’m not sure of their specific policies or protocol for hurricane ride-out. It’s nevertheless a good idea in theory if the other options are fully booked.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
Have you ever stayed at Walt Disney World during a hurricane? If you live in Florida, have you ever booked an on-site hotel stay just for the peace of mind and certainty of not losing power, running water, or food? Or for the higher building standards? Have you visited during past hurricanes? Any additional info, thoughts, or first-hand experiences to share about riding out a hurricane at Walt Disney World? Do you agree or disagree with our advice? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
